A EMT got a speeding ticket

[roadrunner5877]

Good day all,
I know a guy I have hunt with who is a fire fighter and he told me one of thier EMT drivers got a speeding ticket from a state trooper who followed him for 10 miles to the hospital then gave him the ticket. the trooper told him that EMT units should not go faster than 10 mpr than the posted speed limit and he was going many times at 20 mpr over the posted 55 mpr. do you know if there a speed limt for EMT units?? also the time was around 3 am on a sunday very little traffic and the trooper knew that the victim only had a leg injury from a car crash that he worked on

[icu650]

It appears the Trooper did not think the EMT used sound judgment in carrying out his obligation to get the victim to the hospital safely. A non life threatening leg injury does not warrant a speed of 75mph. Just because you are authorized to have a red or blue light and a siren it doesn't mean you can behave recklessly without regard to the consequences. I fully support the Trooper.

[retdetsgt]

It appears the Trooper did not think the EMT used sound judgment in carrying out his obligation to get the victim to the hospital safely. A non life threatening leg injury does not warrant a speed of 75mph. Just because you are authorized to have a red or blue light and a siren it doesn't mean you can behave recklessly without regard to the consequences. I fully support the Trooper.

+1. I concur

[ET109]

This is a third-hand story, so I can't comment on who was right... or if it even occurred. You don't mention where it happened, but I can say that in my area emergency vehicles are exempt from all speed restrictions when (a) responding to an emergency and (b) using sirens (lights are a good idea too, but ar not technically required). If he wasn't using lights and sirens... no exemption. Technically it's also illegal if he was using them but it wasn't for an emergency. The definition of emergency is not exact, though. In my area EMS goes lights and sirens to pretty much EVERYTHING, though it's mostly because there's a lot of traffic lights.

Here it would probably be handled as a policy violation, but we have a good working relationship between our first-responders. A call to a supervisor would almost certainly make sure it didn't happen again. Troopers and local EMS might not have that ability or this guy might have been reckless enough that he needed the ticket.

[retdetsgt]

There could well be a back story to this one too. In Portland, the fire department responds with their EMT's, but don't transport. We used to have several ambulance companies in various areas of the city and had a good relationship with them all. Some years ago, the county decided to contract to one company to cover the whole county. Relations with them haven't been as cordial. Before, if there was an errant driver, a phone call could take care of it, now it's a big corporation and not as user friendly.

I don't know that any of our guys have written any drivers, but I've been told of some nose to nose situations with individuals.

On a personal level, if I'm in the back and don't have a life threatening condition, I don't want to risk being killed on the way to the hospital.

[mcsap]

So this was an ambulance ?

[greg72982]

If I'm not mistaken roadrunner is from PA. PSP has a reputation, at least around here, for going after the volunteer firefighters so I could see them going after something like this as well. They can though, but for political/working relationship reasons it's not so easy as a local officer.

[roadrunner5877]

yes it was a ambulance also this was a volunteer fire department, . also it is in the text book the say a ambulance should keep under 10 mph over the speed limit. they say it not worth the risk to drive faster with a high profile unit and if you do crash you have much bigger problems

[roadrunner5877]

I thought there was a brotherhood/sisterhood with emts too that they will not give a ticket for traffic laws unless it was for something major like DWI or reckless driving

[retdetsgt]

I thought there was a brotherhood/sisterhood with emts too that they will not give a ticket for traffic laws unless it was for something major like DWI or reckless driving

Not much of one here.

[icu650]

I thought there was a brotherhood/sisterhood with emts too that they will not give a ticket for traffic laws unless it was for something major like DWI or reckless driving

I really would like to believe that there was more to this, like a prior warning, lousy attitude, cursing etc.. It's not good when two units of emergency services are at each others throat at a scene of an emergency. It is very unprofessional and a danger to the victim.

[roadrunner5877]

I think you may be right icu650 the guy who I was hunting with who is on the volunteer fire department says most likly deserved it. he rolled his eyes and smiled when trooper started talking to him . also the trooper charged the victim with a DWI

[McNulty]

Not much of one here.

That's a shame.

[retdetsgt]

That's a shame.

We get along fine with the fire department, but as I said earlier, transportation is done by private ambulance companies and they're all over the place on quality of personnel. But to be honest, I can't recall anyone having a problem with the driving of one of the drivers. Apparently they're well versed in Oregon law on code 3 runs. I'm talking about off duty stuff. Stopping someone in their POV and showing me their ambulance company ID isn't going to mean much to me.

Around here, the fire department drives a lot more recklessly than private companies. It's a big city FD, no volunteers at all. I don't know of anyone writing a fire fighter for just his driving, but I've known a couple that were cited after they crashed driving code 3 like idiots. Both hit private citizens and the traffic guys really didn't have much choice.

[G35 Mass]

yes it was a ambulance also this was a volunteer fire department, . also it is in the text book the say a ambulance should keep under 10 mph over the speed limit. they say it not worth the risk to drive faster with a high profile unit and if you do crash you have much bigger problems

What text book? The LAW text book? Or the EMT text book? Because my EMT text book had a LOT of bad information regarding laws and procedures for things in my state, including vehicle operations, liability, consent, etc..